Button



Feb. 19, 1929.

l. D. FORD BUTTON Filed Jan. 12, 1928 w u w. a s v a 3%. z twp Z jfwezzfif fm J [5722 Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA 1). FORD, OF ROSEIJAND, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL BUTTON FASTENING & BUTTON COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORTPORATION 01E MICHIGAN.

BUTTON.

Application filed January 12, 1928. Serial No. 246,118.

This invention relates to so-called flexible capacity of the head of the button for universal tilting.

Fig. 2 is a similar axial section showing the button head telescoped with its attaching base (as contrasted with Fig. 1) and illustrating the means by which the fastener is upset to affix the button.

Fig. 3 is an inverted transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing the fastener prongs bent over the fastener engaging bar of the button.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a button in a button hole to illustrate how the restricted neck of the button avoids any substantial wrinkling of the cloth or distortion of the button hole.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a suspender loop or the like engaging the neck of the button and illustrating how the loop is held by the neck of the button in the space or groove between the collet of the button head and the latter serving also to hold the loop out of wearing engagement with the fabric.

The illustrative flexible button comprises an attaching or connecting'member 10 (held firmly in contact with thecloth or other fabric to which the. button is applied) and a movable head 11 flexibly connected to the former and held thereby in spaced relation to the cloth. The button head consists of a collet 1 2 having a relatively restricted shank which is flared out to desired button head diameter, over which flared portion is secured the shell or button top 13. The latter may beembossed with an appropriate trade-mark or design or both, and is advantageously madeof sheet metal which has been given a decorative and rust proof plating or coating. The base or attaching part 10 of the button comprises in this instance an elongated tubular eyelet of the enlarged base of the attaching element,

relatively restricted diameter which telescopes within the restricted opening 14.- at the base of the collet. The two button parts are permanently connected after assembly in this instance, by enlarging the upper end of the part 10; so that it cannot pass the inwardly turned flange 15 at the base of the collet. This is advantageously effected by outwardly flanging the upper end of the tube as at 16. The fixed and movable button parts are connected together in the manner above described preferably before the button shell or top has been applied. In this way an appropriate, die may be inserted withinthe collet to engage and flare the upper end of the tube.

The button is shown attached to the cloth or the like by a double pronged fastener 17, the prongs 18 of which are pointed and after penetrating the fabric at'spaced points are upset within the attaching base 10 while the latter is pressed firmly against the cloth, thereby preserving the gripping pressure of the base of the button and the head of the fastener upon the cloth. In the. present case the fastener prongs are connected with the button by being bent around (from opposite sides) a transverse bar 19inside the tubular base 10. The bar is here shown as the central portion of an S-sha'ped ring 20 held in the lower end of the attaching base 10. Being larger than the tubular portion of the base in this case, the ring 20 is held in an annular recess in the tube formed by beading or spinning out its lower end and thereafter crimping in the lower edge 21 after the bar ring has been inserted.

7 By this construction a bar ring of adequate diameter may be'employed without requiring an increase in the diameter of the neck of the tubular base, which should be as small as possible (consistent with strength) so as to distort the button hole as little as possible.

Moreover, the bar ring does not obstruct the interior of the tube or interfere'with the en trance of the fastener prongs therein. Thus, while employing the superior fastening qualities of the double-pronged fastener, the

illustrative button; nevertheless approaches the sewed button in flexibility and neatness of buttoned appearance.

lVhere a button with a closed top '13 is employed, a die 22 is assembled inside the collet to provide means for bending the prongs of the fastener around the bar 19. For this purpose the die is provided with a concave or cup-shaped lower face 23 which when the button is telescoped (see Fig. 2) lies sufliciently close to the bar to bend the fastener prongs tightly around it and by contact with the tube 10 (against its upper edge or through the bar ring 21) presses the tube base firmly against the cloth. If an open top button be employed, the upsetting die of the attaching mechanism is intended to enter the open top of the button and bend the fastener prongs. In the latter case obviously no internal die 22 is required. y

In extended condition (see Fig. 1) a groove 24 is provided by the neck of the but ton between the enlargement 25 at the base of the attaching tube and the inwardly turned flange of the collet in which the edges of the button hole lie with minimum distortion of the button hole and wrinkling of the cloth (see Fig. 4) or in which a suspender loop or the like may seat (see Fig. 5) and be held out of contact with the cloth.

The means here shown for securing the but-ton to the cloth is independent of the thickness of the cloth, i. e., the prongs of the fastener need not be adjusted to the thickness ofthe cloth to which the button is to be attached. If they be long enough for the thickest fabric or layers of fabric, the excess length of the prong is merely bent around the securing bar 19 where the button is attached to a thinner fabric (see Fig. 1). Be ing engaged at its base, the tube 10 is firmly held against the fabric without danger of displacement.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative construction, since these may be variously modified. More over, it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used in different combinations and sub-combinations.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A button of the character described, comprising in combination a tubular attaching member open at both its bottom and top and having an enlarged cloth engaging base; a hollow closed-top button head with a restricted collet surrounding and slidably mounted on said tubular member; means connecting said head and tubular member against separation but leaving the head free to turn and telescope on said tubular member, said head being constructed and arranged so that when it is extended relative to said tubular attaching member it exposes a neck on the attaching. member between its base and the collet of the head for receiving and seat ing the element in which. the button is inserted, means within said enlarged base for engaging a fastener ;v and a die having a head lying within said hollow head and having a stem with a semi-spherical concavity in its end extending closely adjacent said fastener engaging means when the button head is telescoped on said tubular member, whereby to upset the fastener so that it operatively engages said engaging means.

2. A button of the character described comprising in combination a tubular attaching member open at both its bottom and top and having an enlarged cloth engaging base;

a hollow closed-top button head with a restricted I collet surrounding and slidably mounted on said tubular member; means connecting said head and tubular member against separation but leaving the head free to turn andtelescope on said tubular member, said head being constructed and arranged so that when it is extended relative to said tubular attaching member it exposes a neck on the attaching member between its base and the collet of the head for receiving and seating the element in which the button is inserted; a fastener engaging bar held within said enlarged base and extending across the lower opening thereof; and a die having a head lying Within said hollow head and having a stem with a semi-spherical concavity in its end extending closely adjacent said fastener engaging bar when the button is telescoped on said tubular member, so as to bend the fastener firmly around said bar to secure the button.

3. A button of the character described comprising in combination a tubular attaching member open at both its bottom and top and having an enlarged cloth engaging base and an intermediate neck of restricted diameter; a hollow closed-top button head with a restricted collet surrounding and. slidably mounted on said tubular member; means connecting said head and tubular member against separation but leaving the head free to turn and telescope on said tubular memher, said head belng constructed and arranged so that when it is extended relative to said tubular attaching member it exposes said restricted neck on the attaching member between its base and the collet of the head for receiving and seating the element in which the button is inserted; means within said enlarged base for engaging a fastener prong; a fastener having an attaching prong of sufficient surplus length to penetrate cloth of substantial thickness; a die lying within said hollow head and having a concavity in its end and extending closely adjacent said fastener engaging means when the button head is telescoped on said tubular member and operative to upset the-fastener prong including any surplus length thereof into oper ative engagement with said engaging means.

4. A button of the character described comprising in combination a tubular member of small diameter open at both its bottom and top and having an enlarged cloth engaging base and an outwardly flanged upper end; a hollow closed-top button head with a restricted collet surrounding and slidably mounted on said tubular member; means comprising an inwardly projecting1 flange at p the base of the collet to engage e flanged upper end of the attaching member to connect said head and tubular member against separation but leaving the head free to turn and telescope said tubular member said head being constructed and arranged so that when it is extended relative to said tubular attaching member it exposes a neck on the attaching member between its base and the collet within said enlarged base for engaging a fastener prong; a fastener having an attaching prong of sufiicient surplus length to penetrate cloth of substantial thickness; a die lying within said hollow head and having a concavity in its end extending closely adjacent said fastener engaging means when the button head is telescoped on said tubular member and operative to upset the fastener prong including any surplus length thereof into operative engagement with said engaging means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

IRA D. FORD. 

